A New Approach To Pricing For Service Based Equestrian Businesses
- Nicola Kinnard-Comedie MSc, BHSAI Int. SM | NKC Equestrian Training
- 19 hours ago
- 4 min read
I recently shared this concept with the clients inside one of my group coaching programs, and it has such a profound impact on them that I wanted to offer these insights here to the readers of Equestrian Business Magazine.
Pricing can feel like a challenge, and it's an area of business that causes some real friction for business owners. Set your price too high and you’ll feel that no-one will want your service. If you price too low it’s a harder business model, one based on high volume and this can be hard to sustain longer term.
How do you hit the sweet spot with pricing?
I suggest taking a radical new way of looking at pricing, and you decide what you’d like to receive for your services. Not pricing based on what others charge in your area or niche, but on what you want to receive, and what reflects your brand.
Within any industry there are a wide variety of prices and the equestrian world is no different. I could rent a field for my horse for around $150 a month or I could invest in livery/boarding of $3000 upwards a month.
These are different offerings, for different types of clients, offering a different outcome.
When you price based on what others charge you are never going to stand out, nor will you be able to create offerings that feel aligned to the results you can offer someone.
I have clients that offer intensive packages to support owners with their horses, that might be rehab, bodywork, ground work or a combination of all of these. Prices differ between $1000 and $5000 a month, and these prices reflect the commitment and energy of the service provider, the likely results or outcome and level of support offered. These clients priced on how they wanted to support their clients, and how they wished to be financially compensated, not on what others charge.
The Hidden Cost of Low Pricing
1. Built-In Burnout
If your pricing doesn’t reflect your actual workload, time, and emotional investment, you’ll eventually feel exhausted. Horses don’t clock off at 5pm—and neither do you.
2. Financial Strain
Pricing based on outdated local norms often means you’re absorbing price increases instead of passing them on sustainably.
3. Resentment Toward Clients
When you feel underpaid, even great clients can start to feel ‘demanding’, and that’s simply a sign of your prices not being aligned.
How do you know what you want to charge?
I suggest that you consider how you work best, and how you get your best results. For some equestrians that’s through variety, and a mixed client base, for others it’s about less clients and providing a deeper level of work and care. There’s no right or wrong, it’s about what feels good for you.
Next you need to consider all of the costs involved in running your business, and what it costs to deliver your service. Consider the cost of tax, what you want your business to pay you, and the profit you’d like to make.
I would also consider the balance between the financial investment and the energetic investment that you are asking a client to commit to.
Any equestrian service provider wants great clients - one that ‘do the work’, pay on time, and are committed to the health, happiness and wellbeing of their horse.
If you want an owner to commit to a rehab program, or an involved training schedule, they need to invest their time and energy. If the financial investment doesn’t match there's a strong chance that the owner won’t value the service or take it seriously. As a result they might not get the results that they are hoping for.
When someone has made a larger financial investment they are committed, they have ‘skin in the game’ and are going to do the work required for the results that they desire.
Pricing can feel very personal, but re-evaluating your pricing and offerings is also an opportunity to reach your next level of business success, and support clients on a deeper level. Watch out for any old stories, or limiting beliefs around what you can or can’t charge for your services- these are simply conditioning and you can choose new beliefs as you wish.
It’s also really important to remember that whatever your prices you will be too cheap for someone, and too expensive for someone else, so don’t try and keep everyone happy!
Nicola Kinnard-Comedie
(Msc, BHSAI Int. SM)
Nicola is the owner and founder of NKC Equestrian Training, delivering horse care training to horse owners and business and mindset coaching to equine practitioners.
Nicola is a qualified riding instructor and has over 20 years industry experience, and now uses her coaching skills to assist equine practitioners. Nicola decided to combine her experience of equestrian science, sales and marketing, and teach this to others. Nicola works with veterinary physiotherapists, massage therapists, osteopaths and other equestrians across the world to help them build their dream business. Nicola's work focuses on harnessing the power of your mindset, together with cutting edge marketing strategies to support equestrian business owners to realise the business of their dreams.
You can find out more about Nicola here: www.nkcequestrian.com
This article is from the April 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine
